The Trump campaign is running an ad in Minnesota that seeks to portray Democrat Joe Biden as in thrall to "lawless" protesters while arguing President Trump will "protect" the state and bring "jobs, not mobs." The "jobs" line is illustrated by a photo of Vice President Mike Pence visiting a steel mill in St. Paul in March 2019. A year later, the Brazilian company that owns the mill, Gerdau Ameristeel, told workers it would shift to finishing steel, not melting or rolling it, leading to 222 layoffs in the 300-strong workforce, David Weigel reports at The Washington Post.
Pence had visited the St. Paul steel mill to promote the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal, which was signed in January 2020. "Gerdau is an example of how American steel is back," Pence said during his 2019 visit. "We are going to level the playing field, and Americans are going to win like never before." Dave Hallas, 41, immediately recognized the photo in the new ad, because he had been one of the mill workers at the event. "The tag line is jobs," Hallas wrote on Facebook. "My mill that has been operating for over 55 years is now closed and it was not COVID-related. Failed promises."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraudSpeed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
-
Boeing machinists approve contract, end strikeSpeed Read The company's largest union approved the new contract offer, ending a seven-week strike
-
US economy still strong in final preelection reportSpeed Read It grew at a solid 2.8% annual rate from July through September
-
Boeing machinists reject deal, continue strikeSpeed Read The rejection came the same day Boeing reported a $6.2 billion quarterly loss
-
Ports reopen after dockworkers halt strikeSpeed Read The 36 ports that closed this week, from Maine to Texas, will start reopening today
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homesSpeed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bidSpeed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
